GREAT MALE SINGERS

Jim Bailey IX

2008-07-14T16:43:00.001-07:00

Jim Bailey as HIMSELF

Here is a wonderful song performed by the fabulous Jim Bailey. Not only is Jim Bailey the world's greatest impersonator, but he is also a fantastic singer, gifted with a beautiful and powerful voice.
Enjoy this performance from 1972, and watch also my other tributes to the great Jim Bailey and, of course, his own fantastic clips on YouTube!

Jim Bailey VIII

2008-06-29T16:32:00.000-07:00

Here is another rare medley of songs again magnificently performed by the world's greatest entertainer, Jim Bailey himself. Listen how he can perfectly sing songs that were never performed by Judy Garland before!
Enjoy Jim Bailey's unique voice and artistry!

Note:
The songs and pictures are the property of Jim Bailey and Stephen Campbell Entertainment.
I am grateful to them for having allowed me to arrange those precious documents in clips.

Jim Bailey VII

2008-06-29T16:03:00.000-07:00

Here is a rare medley of songs magnificently performed by the world's greatest entertainer, Jim Bailey himself. Listen how he can perfectly sing songs that were never performed by Judy Garland before!
Enjoy Jim Bailey's unique voice and artistry!

Note:
The songs and pictures are the property of Jim Bailey and Stephen Campbell Entertainment.
I am grateful to them for having allowed me to arrange those precious documents in clips.

Jim Bailey VI

2008-06-29T15:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a beautiful song, rarely heard by Jim Bailey, chosen to illustrate the incredible talent of this legendary entertainer. First explore the many facets and shades of Jim Bailey: in TV and movie roles, as "the baroness", "Cleopatra", in "Fragile Fire", as "Esperanza", "Jim Rockford", in "The Surrogate", as "Ramon Garcia", with John Larroquette on "Night Court", as Olivia Mann, Kay Goodman; in his great impersonations: Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Peggy Lee, Mae West, Tallulah Bankhead, Phyllis Diller, Bette Davis, Madonna, Marilyn Monroe; and discover the many friends of Jim Bailey, among whom are true legends of show business: here is Jim with Barbra Streisand, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Shirley Jones and Ann Miller, Kaye Ballard, Carol Burnett, Angie Dickinson, Lucille Ball, Phyllis Diller, Lucie Arnaz, Bette Garrett, Debbie Reynolds, Margaret O'Brien, Sharon Gless and Earl Holliman, Leslie Caron, Stephanie Powers, Liberace, Lana Turner, Liza Minnelli, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Prince Charles.
Enjoy Jim Bailey's multiple faces and unique performance!

Visit also, to have more details about the fabulous career of the world's greatest entertainer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Bailey_(entertainer)
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0047312/

Jim Bailey V

2008-06-29T14:46:00.000-07:00

Here are two great songs representing a very rare performance by the legendary Jim Bailey and the fabulous Liza Minnelli, singing together. I thank the very generous Jim Bailey for having entrusted me with this precious recording, which was made nearly 30 years ago (so put the volume loud so that the sound of the voices and music might be clear)!
Enjoy this exceptional and very nostalgic testimony of a great era!

Jim Bailey IV

2008-06-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a classic Barbra Streisand song performed by the incredible Jim Bailey, the world's greatest entertainer and impersonator, a singer and performer extraordinaire!
Enjoy his remarkable impersonation of the grandiose Barbra Streisand! Yes, with Jim Bailey, happy days are always here again!

This clip was made for and is dedicated to Mr Jim Bailey.
Visit www.jimbaileyweb.com/

Jim Bailey III

2008-06-29T14:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a medley of Peggy Lee songs performed by the incredible Jim Bailey, the world's greatest entertainer and impersonator, a singer and performer extraordinaire!
Enjoy his remarkable impersonation of the fabulous Peggy Lee!

This clip was made for and is dedicated to Mr Jim Bailey.
Visit www.jimbaileyweb.com/

Jim Bailey II

2008-06-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

As we already know, Jim Bailey is the world's greatest impersonator. Not only is he the best "incarnation" of Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland, but he is also gifted with an incredible voice and is far much better than many a modern "professional" singer. (Visit www.jimbaileyweb.com/)
Listen to his remarkable version of that famous Garland song and enjoy!

Jimmie Rodgers

2008-04-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a song from 1929, mixing blues, Hawaiian music and variety, and typical of the versatility of legendary singer Jimmie Rodgers.
Jimmie Rodgers (1897 - 1933), known as "The Singing Brakeman" and "America's Blue Yodeler", was the first country music superstar, a status that resulted in another commonly used nickname, "The Father of Country Music". He was born in Meridian, Mississippi. Jimmie's affinity for entertaining came at an early age, and the lure of the road was irresistible to him. By age 13, he had twice organized and begun traveling shows. Mr Rodgers found Jimmie his first job working on the railroad, as a waterboy. This is where he learned the cries and moans of the blues and was taught to pick and strum by the rail workers and the hoboes. A few years later, he became brakeman on the New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad, a position secured by his brother, a conductor on the line between Meridian and New Orleans. In 1924 at the age of 27, Jimmie contracted tuberculosis. The disease temporarily ended his railroad career, but, at the same time, gave him the chance to get back to his first love, entertainment. He returned to railroad work as a brakeman on the east coast of Florida at Miami, but eventually his illness cost him his job. He relocated to Tucson, Arizona and was employed as a switchman by the Southern Pacific. The job lasted less than a year, and the Rodgers family had settled back in Meridian by early 1927. Rodgers decided to travel to Asheville, North Carolina, later that same year. On April 18, Jimmie performed for the first time on Asheville's first radio station. A few months later Jimmie recruited a group from Tennessee and secured a weekly slot on the station as the Jimmie Rodgers Entertainers. In late July 1927, Rodgers' bandmates got word that a representative of Victor was coming to Bristol to audition area musicians. But, following an argument, the band broke up and Rodgers arrived at the recording session alone. On August 4, 1927, Jimmie Rodgers completed his first session for Victor. In November, Rodgers headed to New York City in an effort to arrange another session. Four songs made it out of this session, including "Blue Yodel", better known as "T for Texas". In the next two years, this recording sold nearly half a million copies, which was impressive enough to rocket Rodgers into stardom. After this, he sold out shows whenever and wherever he played. On July 16, 1930, he recorded "Blue Yodel No. 9" with jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong, whose wife, Lillian, played piano on the recording. Rodgers's next-to-last recordings were made in August 1932 in Camden and it was clear that tuberculosis was getting the better of him. He had given up touring by that time but did have a weekly radio show in San Antonio, Texas, where he had relocated when "T for Texas" became a hit. In May 1933, Rodgers traveled again to New York City for a group of sessions. Those were the last ones. He died on May 26, 1933. He was 35 years old. When the Country Music Hall of Fame was established in 1961, Rodgers was one of the first three (with Fred Rose and Hank Williams) to be inducted. He was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970 and, as an early influence, to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. On May 24, 1978, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp honoring Rodgers. Since 1953, Meridian's Jimmie Rodgers Memorial Festival has been held annually during May to honor the anniversary of Rodgers' death. Rodgers' legacy and influence is not limited to country music. He was influential to a number of blues artists, among them Howlin' Wolf, whose howling was at the beginning an unsuccessful imitation of Rodgers' yodeling. Rodgers' mix of Southern white music and Southern black music was an important precurser to rock n' roll.
Enjoy Jimmie Rodgers' style!

Tom Waits "Green" Tribute

2008-03-02T13:11:00.000-08:00

Here is a beautiful song performed by the great Tom Waits. Thomas Alan Waits (born in 1949) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice (a gravelly sound reminiscent of Howlin' Wolf, a booming, feral bark, or a strained, nearly shrieking falsetto), described by one critic as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months and then taken outside and run over with a car." With this trademark growl, his incorporation of pre-rock styles such as blues, jazz, and Vaudeville (he embraces a number of styles largely ignored in pop music, including primal blues, cabaret stylings, rumbas, theatrical approaches in the style of Kurt Weill, tango music, early country music and European folk music), and experimental tendencies verging on industrial music, Waits has built up a distinctive musical persona. Waits has also worked as a composer for movies and musical plays and as a supporting actor in films, including "The Fisher King", Bram Stoker's "Dracula", and "Short Cuts". He has been nominated for an Academy Award for his soundtrack work. Lyrically, Waits' songs are known for atmospheric portrayals of bizarre, seedy characters and places, although he has also shown a penchant for more conventional ballads. He has a cult following and has influenced subsequent songwriters, despite having little radio or music video support. His songs are best known to the general public in the form of cover versions by more visible artists — for example "Jersey Girl" performed by Bruce Springsteen, "Downtown Train" performed by Rod Stewart, and "Ol' '55" performed by the Eagles. Although Waits' albums have met with mixed commercial success in his native United States, they have occasionally achieved gold album sales status in other countries. He has been nominated for a number of major music awards, and has won Grammy Awards for two albums.
Enjoy Tom Waits' unique style!

Jimmy Durante

2008-02-25T12:02:00.000-08:00

Here is a famous song performed in his inimitable manner by the legendary Jimmy Durante. James Francis Durante (1893 – 1980), better known as Jimmy Durante, was an American singer, pianist, comedian and actor, whose distinctive gravel delivery, comic language butchery, jazz-influenced songs, and large nose — his frequent jokes about it included a frequent self-reference that became his nickname: "Schnozzola" — helped make him one of America's most familiar and popular personalities of the 1920's through the 1970's. He was also one of the most beloved people within the entertainment industry: an acquaintance once remarked of Durante, "You could warm your hands on this man."
Enjoy Jimmy Durante's unique style!

And here is a great number with Ella Fitzgerald, Bill Bailey (from "Hollywood Palace", 1969)

Howlin' Wolf

2008-02-24T13:23:00.000-08:00

Here is a typical song of the legendary blues singer Howlin' Wolf. Chester Arthur Burnett (1910 – 1976), better known as Howlin' Wolf, was an influential blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player. With a booming voice and looming physical presence, Burnett is commonly ranked among the leading performers in Chicago blues. Many songs written or popularized by Burnett – such as "Smokestack Lightnin'", "Back Door Man" and "Spoonful" – have become standards of blues and blues rock. Born in White Station near West Point, Mississippi, he was named after Chester A. Arthur, 21st President of the United States, and was nicknamed Big Foot and Bull Cow in his early years because of his massive size. He explained the origin of the name Howlin' Wolf thus: "I got that from my grandfather." He used to tell him stories about the wolves in that part of the country and warn him that if he misbehaved, they would "get him". As a youth he listened to Charley Patton, who taught him the rudiments of guitar, as well as to the Mississippi Sheiks, Tommy Johnson, and Jimmie Rodgers, whose famous "blue yodel" Burnett integrated into his singing style. His harmonica playing was modeled after that of Rice Miller (also known as Sonny Boy Williamson II), who had lived with his sister for a time and taught him how to play. He played with Robert Johnson and Willie Brown in his youth. At 6 foot, 6 inches (198cm) and close to 300 pounds (136 kg), he was an imposing presence with one of the loudest and most memorable voices of all the "classic" 1950's Chicago blues singers. Howlin' Wolf's voice has been compared to "the sound of heavy machinery operating on a gravel road". Although the two were reportedly not that different in actual personality, this rough edged, slightly fearsome musical style is often contrasted with the less harsh but still powerful presentation of his contemporary and professional rival, Muddy Waters, to describe the two pillars of the Chicago Blues representing the two sides of the music. Howlin' Wolf was featured as a super-hero in one of the Marvel comics.
Enjoy Howlin' Wolf's soulful singing!

PLEASE NOTE:
Some of the pictures belong to Sandy Guy Schoenfeld, for more information visit his fantastic site: http://www.howlingwolfphotos.com/

Muzzy Marcellino

2007-05-05T16:34:00.000-07:00

Here is a song from the movie "The High And The Mighty", whistled by one of the world's greatest whistlers, Muzzy Marcellino (only second to Fred Lowery, the blind whistler).
Born in 1912, bandleader Muzzy Marcellino studied both violin and guitar while growing up in his hometown of San Francisco. Between 1932 and 1938 he worked with several outfits, including the Lofner-Harris Orchestra and Ted Fio Rito's group, where he was often heard on vocals. In 1938 he formed his own orchestra, which debuted at Topsy's Restaurant in San Francisco and featured a young Gloria DeHaven on vocals. He spent the next ten years playing West Coast venues, finally disbanding his group in 1948. He then settled in Los Angeles, where he continued playing with small combos. From 1950 through 1969 Marcellino was musical director for Art Linkletter's various television programs. He was also an accomplished whistler. His whistling was featured in many advertisements and movies (he dubbed John Wayne's whistling in "The High and the Mighty", 1954, and provided the ululating whistled sting in Hugo Montenegro’s popular rendition of the theme to "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly", 1966; he also helped with many musical numbers for the original "Mickey Mouse Club") and on several recordings. Muzzy Marcellino died in 1997.
Enjoy Muzzy's great whistling!

Nat Wright

2007-05-05T14:24:00.000-07:00

Here is an exceptional rendition of this classic song by a forgotten and very rare jazz singer, Nat Wright, who made a couple of Broadway musicals in the fifties. This record, "The Biggest Voice In Jazz" tells it all! Listen to this piece of bravery and enjoy!

Frankie Vaughan

2007-05-05T14:20:00.000-07:00

Here is a famous song performed by "Mr. Moonlight", the great Frankie Vaughan.
Frankie Vaughan was born Frankie Ableson into a family of Russian Jewish origin in Liverpool in 1928 and passed away in 1999, aged 71. His singing career began during the late 1940's in the Variety theatre. His song and dance routines became a popular stage act and he became renowned for his sexy image and stylish clothes – tail suit, bow tie, top hat and cane. During the 1950's he extended his audience through records. His singles sold well being especially popular with female record buyers. In 1955 he recorded the song that was to become his trademark and theme, "Give Me The Moonlight" which he generally sang at the end of his high stepping stage act. Frankie had a very long recording career and could be relied on to reach the chart in most years up to the end of the 1960's. He was also recognised as a fine ambassador for his home city, Liverpool, long before the Beatles. He is renowned for his involvement in the troubled Glasgow area of Easterhouse, where he persuaded local gangs to lay down their weapons and helped them build a peaceful youth club, which flourishes to this day. Frankie was a life long supporter of Boys Clubs and their work with young people, eventually becoming vice-president of the National Association of Clubs for Young People. He was awarded an OBE in 1965 and a CBE in 1997 for his work and he was made a Freeman of the City of London in 1985. He appeared in several movies and starred alongside Marilyn Monroe in "Let's Make Love" in 1960. However, press stories that have tried to concoct a romantic link between him and the actress are apocryphal in nature!
Enjoy Frankie Vaughan's great voice!

Jimmy Scott

2007-05-05T14:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a beautiful song soulfully and powerfully sung by the great jazz singer Jimmy Scott.
Jimmy Scott (born in 1925 in Cleveland, Ohio) had, at an early age, a health problem, that left him with a high, undeveloped soprano voice, hence his nickname "Little" Jimmy Scott. However it was his extraordinary phrasing and romantic feeling that made him a favorite singer of fellow artists like Billie Holiday, Ray Charles, Dinah Washington and Nancy Wilson. As a child he got his first singing experience by his mother's side at the family piano, and later, in church choir. Scott first rose to national prominence as "Little Jimmy Scott" in the Lionel Hampton Band when he sang lead on the late 1940's hit "Everybody's Somebody's Fool". In 1963, signed to Ray Charles's Tangerine label, he recorded, under the supervision of the great man himself, one of the great jazz vocal albums of all time, "Falling in Love is Wonderful". The record was yanked from the shelves in a matter of days. After a career eclipse, he resurfaced in 1991 when he sang at the funeral of his long-time friend Doc Pomus. Afterwards Lou Reed recruited him to sing back-up on the track "Power and Glory" on his 1992 album "Magic and Loss", partially inspired by Pomus' death. Afterwards, Scott was seen on the series finale of David Lynch's show "Twin Peaks", singing "Sycamore Trees". He was featured on the soundtrack of the follow-up film "Fire Walk With Me". This brought him to the attention of the music industry and he has enjoyed significant success since then, singing and recording.
Enjoy Jimmy's incredible voice!

Paul Robeson

2007-05-05T14:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a famous song performed live in Moscow in 1949 by the legendary Paul Robeson.
Paul Robeson (1898 – 1976) was an American actor, athlete, singer, writer, civil rights activist, and a great humanist. Son of a slave, Paul graduated with honors from his high school in Somerville, New Jersey, where he excelled academically, and participated in singing, acting, and athletics. Robeson later studied law at Columbia and African history and languages at the School of Oriental and African Studies of London. Robeson found fame as an actor and singer with his fine bass-baritone voice. He is one of the few true basses in American music, his beautiful and powerful voice descending as low as a C below the bass clef. In addition to his stage performances, his renditions of old Negro spirituals were acclaimed. Robeson also became interested in the folk music of the world. He came to be conversant with 20 languages, fluent or near fluent in 12. His standard reportoire after the 1920's included songs in many languages (e.g., Chinese, Russian, Yiddish, German, etc.). Between 1925 and 1942 Robeson appeared in eleven films, in the UK and the USA ("Song of Freedom", "The Proud Valley", "The Emperor Jones", "Show Boat", "King Solomon's Mines", "Jericho", etc.).
In June 1949 during the 150th anniversary celebration of the birth of Alexander Pushkin, Robeson visited Russia to sing in concert and was given a warm public welcome. Robeson remains a celebrated figure in Wales. A number of Welsh artists have celebrated Robeson's life. In 1958, Robeson's 60th birthday was celebrated in several US cities and twenty-seven countries across Europe, the Soviet Union, Latin America, Asia and Africa. Over 3000 people gathered in Carnegie Hall to salute Robeson's 75th birthday, including Dizzy Gillespie, Odetta, Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte (who also produced the show). In 1976, at the age of 77, Paul Robeson died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was interred in the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York. In 1998, he received a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement. In 2004, the United States Postal Service honored Robeson with a stamp in the Black Heritage Series.
Listen to Paul Robeson's deep voice and enjoy this fantastic performance!

Arthur Prysock

2007-05-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a great song by the great singer Arthur Prysock.
Arthur Prysock (1929 — 1997) was an American jazz singer best known for his live shows and his baritone influenced by Billy Eckstine. Born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Prysock moved to Hartford, Connecticut, to work in the aircraft industry during World War II. In 1944 bandleader Buddy Johnson signed him as a vocalist, and Prysock was a mainstay of the live performance circuits. Prysock sang on several of Johnson’s hits on Decca Records ("Jet My Love", 1947 and "I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone", 1948) and later on Mercury Records ("Because", 1950). In 1952 Prysock went solo and signed with Decca to record the R&B hit, "I Didn’t Sleep a Wink Last Night". He recorded R&B classics like Roy Brown’s "Good Rocking Tonight". In the sixties, Prysock joined Old Time Records and did an R&B cover of Ray Noble’s ballad "The Very Thought of You" (1960) and a pop hit "It’s Too Late Baby, It’s Too Late" (1965). He also recorded on Verve Records ("A Working Man’s Prayer", 1968). In the seventies, he had a surprise disco hit with "When Love Is New" (Old Time, 1977) and, in 1985, recorded his first new album in almost a decade, "Arthur Prysock" (Milestone). He gained further attention for his tender, soulful singing on a beer commercial. His brother, Red Prysock, is a noted tenor sax player who appeared on many of Arthur's records. Prysock received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1995.
Enjoy Arthur Prysock's rich baritone and style!

Wayne Newton

2007-05-05T13:57:00.000-07:00

By Las Vegas' greatest entertainer, in his best years, a most dynamic rendition of that famous song. Much swing and rhythm and such a great voice for a teenager!
Carson Wayne Newton (born in 1942 in Roanoke, Virginia) is an American singer and entertainer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He performed over 30.000 solo shows in Las Vegas over a period of over 40 years, earning him the nickname "Mr Las Vegas". Newton was born in Roanoke, Virginia, the half-Native American son of an auto mechanic. Newton was active in show business at an early age. He learned the piano, guitar, and steel guitar at the age of six. Along with his older brother Jerry Newton, he appeared with the Grand Ole Opry roadshows, performed for President Harry S. Truman. In the spring of 1958, toward the end of Wayne's junior year in high school, a Las Vegas booking agent saw a local TV show on which the two Newton brothers were performing and took them back with him for an audition. Originally signed for two weeks, the two brothers eventually performed for five years, doing six shows a day. Newton achieved nationwide recognition on September 29, 1962 when he and his brother performed on The Jackie Gleason Show. He would perform on Gleason's show 12 times over the following two years. Many other entertainment icons such as Lucille Ball, Bobby Darin, Danny Thomas, George Burns, and Jack Benny lent Newton their support. After his job with Benny ended, Newton was offered a job to open for another comic at the Flamingo Hotel, but Newton asked for, and was given, a headline act.
From 1980 to 1982 Newton was part owner of the Aladdin Hotel. In 1994, Newton performed his 25.000th solo show in Las Vegas. In 1999, Newton signed a 10-year deal with the Stardust, calling for him to perform there 40 weeks out of the year for six shows a week in a showroom named after him. Newton began a 30-show stint that summer at the Hilton. Newton is currently performing with a full band at casinos and major venues throughout 2007 across the United States.
Enjoy!

Another great performance by the dynamic Wayne Newton!

Jack Jones

2007-05-05T13:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a famous song written by Michel Legrand and performed by the big-voiced Jack Jones.
Jack Jones (born John Allan Jones in 1938) is an American jazz and pop singer and one of the most popular vocalists of the 1960's. He was rated highly by Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland called him the best jazz singer in the world, although Jones was always a straight pop singer (even when he recorded contemporary material) and rarely ventured in the direction of jazz. Jones won two Grammy Awards. He performs concerts around the world and remains popular in Las Vegas. He recorded "Strangers in the Night" before Sinatra did. Towards the end of the sixties, Jones moved from London Records (in the UK, Kapp Records in the U.S.) to RCA Records, until the eighties, at which time he had changed his appearance from the smooth club entertainer of the 1960's Las Vegas scene to the longhaired singer of the early seventies. In 1979, he moved to MGM Records, recording the famous "Love Boat" theme. His second MGM album featured duets with Maureen McGovern. It was Jones' last album with MGM. Since 1980, he has recorded only a handful of albums, and now performs in various concert arenas and occasionally appears on the supper-club circuit. Jones has acted in several films, namely in the 1959 musical "Juke Box Rhythm". He had a well-publicized relationship with glamorous actress Jill St. John. They were married briefly.
Listen to the rich baritone of the very romantic Jack and enjoy!

Frank Ifield

2007-05-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

Here is a very good song, showcasing the vocal artistry of the great singer Frank Ifield.
Frank Ifield (born in 1937) is an Australian/English country music singer. He was born in Coventry, England and moved with his Australian parents to Dural, 30 miles from Sydney, in about 1946. It was a rural district and he listened to Hillbilly music (now called Country) while milking the cows. He learned how to yodel in imitation of country stars like Hank Snow. At the age of 13 he recorded "Did You See My Daddy Over There?", and by the age of 19 was the number one recording star in Australia and New Zealand. He returned to the UK in 1959. He first record in Britain was "Lucky Devil" (1960) which only got to number 22. His next six records were less successful, but he finally broke through with "I Remember You" in 1962. It has been said this was the first record to sell one million copies within the UK alone. His next single was a double A-side: "Lovesick Blues" (originally sung by Hank Williams) and "She Taught Me How To Yodel", a virtuoso piece of yodelling with the final verse sung at double-speed. His next hit, "Wayward Wind", made him the first person to reach number one three times in succession. In 1963 he had a hit with "I Remember You" and sang at the Grand Ole Opry, introduced by one of his heroes, Hank Snow. Frank Ifield was the second artist to score a hat-trick of (consecutive) #1 singles in the UK charts, the only other by that point was Elvis Presley. Ifield toured the UK, supported by The Beatles. They released an album called "'Jolly What' England's Greatest Recording Stars: The Beatles and Frank Ifield on Stage" on February 26, 1964. This consists of four studio recordings of the Beatles plus eight recordings of Ifield. The original pressing has a drawing of a chubby old man with a moustache, and is itself quite rare. Then the sleeve cover was changed to a drawing of the Beatles. Probably less than 100 copies were pressed. It is the rarest Beatles album. Three sealed stereo copies were discovered in 1976. The first copy sold for 600 dollars, the second for 900 and the third for 1 800 dollars. One of the three was sold in 1995 for 22 000 dollars!
Listen to Frank's warm voice, with a great range and to his vocal jugglery and enjoy!

Robert Goulet

2007-05-05T13:43:00.000-07:00

Here is a beautiful song performed by the great and distinguished Robert Goulet.
Robert Gerard Goulet (b. in 1933 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, of French Canadian parents) is an American entertainer. He rose to international stardom in 1960 as Lancelot in Lerner and Loewe's hit Broadway musical "Camelot", opposite Richard Burton and Julie Andrews. After "Camelot"'s run, Goulet was booked on The Danny Thomas Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, which made him a household name among American audiences. Goulet began a recording career with Columbia Records in 1962 which resulted in more than 15 albums. Goulet began working in films in 1962, providing the voice of one of the characters in the animated feature "Gay Purr-ee" opposite Judy Garland. His first acting role was in "His and Hers" (1964), but it was not until a cameo appearance as a singer in Louis Malle's "Atlantic City" (1980) that Goulet was given critical acclaim. His long career as a singer and actor encompasses theatre, radio, television and film. Goulet resides and performs in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has a distinctive, operatic voice, that makes him more than a crooner.
Listen to Robert's deep, emotive voice and enjoy!

John Gary

2007-05-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

Here is a beautiful song by the great singer John Gary.
John Gary (1932 - 1998) was a popular and technically accomplished vocalist. Gary started singing at the age of 5. He joined his older sister Shirley Gary who was considered the Shirley Temple of the north. At the age of 9, he had won a 3-year scholarship to the prestigious Cathedral School of St John, New York. He auditioned for the choir master, Norman Coke-Jeffcott. At the age of 10, Gary had won 2 pins of distinction from the American Theatre wing Merchant Seaman's Club for the stage door Canteen. Aged 12, he toured the southern states with Frank Pursley, a blind pianist for the Mason Conservatory. Gary was considered by many to be one of the best crooners due to his extaordinary breath control and tonal quality of his voice. He had an exceptionally wide range of three octaves. Gary was a stylized singer, who recorded 23 albums for RCA Victor Records. His singing ranged from robust baritone to a high sweet tenor often in the same song. Most popular songs of their time - suited to his intimate style - and they were among his recordings. Gary sang in movies, on Broadway, had his own television show, and appeared at Carnegie Hall, with numerous symphonies. He appeared 30 times as a guest on the The Tonight Show with Jack Parr, Steve Allen and Johnny Carson. He traveled across the U.S. and Canada with approximately 40 concerts per year. For six years he gave Community concerts in over 400 cities and towns. Considered handsome, personable, and very talented, Gary never quite became a household name. Possibly because his career peaked at the same time as the Beatles, whose unique popularity displaced the works of many artists of the time. Gary was sometimes called the singer's singer because only another singer could fully appreciate what he was able to do with his voice. Most crooners were able to sing sweetly within a limited range, but Gary was able to carry what is known as a mezzo voce up to beyond the staff. What often sounded like falsetto was almost always a legitimate tone. One of his other talents was his seemingly endless supply of breath (no doubt aided by the fact Gary held several underwater swimming records). In addition to his impeccable phrasing, he artfully shaded words to convey the emotional content of the song.
Listen to John Gary's exceptional voice and enjoy!

Tony Christie

2007-05-05T13:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a classic song performed by one of England's greatest singers, Tony Christie, in the tradition of big-voiced performers, such as Tom Jones or Engelbert Humperdinck, Las Vegas style at its best.
Tony Christie (born Antony Fitzgerald in 1943) is from Conisbrough, South Yorkshire. His mother was English and his father came from Ireland. A popular singer in the 1970's (he sold over 10 million records during that period), he had two major hits in the UK charts in 1971 with "I Did What I Did For Maria" and "Is This the Way to Amarillo". He also had a hit with "Avenues and Alleyways", the theme to the television series "The Protectors". He played the role of Magaldi in the original 1976 album recording of the theatre musical "Evita". Although his popularity waned in his native England through most of the 1980's and 1990's, he maintained a successful singing career in continental Europe, especially Germany and Spain, where he eventually set up home. To coincide with the 2006 World Cup, a new version of "Amarillo" was released on the novelty single "(Is This The Way To) The World Cup?" on May 29 2006. On 6th november 2006 Tony released a new album called "Simply In Love". Tony Christie says that he is proud that his songs are still hits after 40 years in the business, and appreciates his popularity. He believes the talent that enabled him to pursue a singing career is a gift rather than a skill, and one that he is grateful for!
Enjoy Tony's big voice and style!

Another great song by the dynamic Tony Christie!

Brook Benton

2007-05-05T13:27:00.000-07:00

Here is a most beautiful song performed by the great Brook Benton.
Brook Benton was an American singer with a silky-smooth baritone voice that propelled him to a long string of pop and rhythm & blues hits. Born Benjamin Franklin Peay in 1931 in Camden, SC, he enjoyed as a young man gospel music and wrote songs. So in 1948 he went to New York to pursue his music career. He went in and out of gospel groups such as "The Langfordaires", "The Jerusalem Stars" and "The Golden Gate Quartet". When coming back to his home state he joined a R&B singing group, "the Sandmen", and went back to New York to get a big break with his new singing group. Brook earned a good living writing songs and co-producing albums. He wrote songs for artists such as Nat King Cole, Clyde McPhatter, and Roy Hamilton. Soon he released his first hit, "A Million Miles From Nowhere". Later he went on to Mercury label, which would eventually bring him big success. Finally in 1959 he made his big break with his hits, "It's Just a Matter of Time" and "Endlessly". He had many #1 hits such as "Rainy Night in Georgia" and "Hotel Happiness". In 1960, he had two top 10 hit duets with Dinah Washington: "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" and "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall In Love)". He made a total of 38 singles. The last album made by Brook Benton was "Fools Rush In" which was released in 2005. He passed away in 1988.
Enjoy Brook Benton's voice!

Another great song by Brook Benton.